There is no evidence Rwanda is yet a safe country for asylum seekers.

We remain seriously concerned that the Rwanda Bill may be incompatible with the UK’s international obligations, as it reaches report stage in the Lords today.

🧵 (1/5) We believe the Bill is unworkable as it currently stands, and we contend that very significant amendments to the Bill are needed.

(2/5)

Today, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office announced that they have launched a Professional Enablers Taskforce to crackdown on lawyers.

Responding, deputy vice president of the Law Society Richard Atkinson said: (1/5) “The government, regulators and law enforcement agencies already have the powers they need to deal with immigration advisers engaged in misconduct. (2/5)

⚖️We warn that the #CriminalJustice system will collapse unless the UK government funds all parts of the system equally, as government announced a £54 million payoff for barristers to end their strike 1/7 I. Stephanie Boyce @LawSocPresident said: “The criminal justice system is in crisis and the government is falling way short of addressing it. You cannot fix the problems in the system unless you fund all parts of it effectively" 2/7

⚖️Following news that barristers have voted to escalate their current #LegalAid action from 5 September, we warn that solicitors will continue to vote with their feet in leaving the #CriminalDefence profession unless more investment is forthcoming 1/8 Our vice president @lubnashuja said: “Solicitors share barristers’ concerns about the collapsing #CriminalJustice system" 2/8

⚖️Following the Prime Minister’s comments today, the Bar Council and Law Society of England and Wales issued the following joint statement 1/5 “Legal challenges ensure government is acting lawfully, following laws agreed by parliament" 2/5

The UK government has unveiled its Northern Ireland Protocol Bill 1/6 .@LawSocPresident I. Stephanie Boyce said:
“Britain’s standing in the world depends in part on it being known as a nation that keeps its word" 2/6

We comment on the prime minister's attack on members of the legal profession who are challenging the government’s plans to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda 1/6 .@LawSocPresident I. Stephanie Boyce said: “Anyone at risk of such a life-changing order has a right to challenge its legality with the assistance of a lawyer, who has a duty to advise their client on their rights" 2/6

In response to the Prime Minister's comments about the role of defence in rape cases today 1/6 .@LawSocPresident I. Stephanie Boyce said: "The suggestion that defence lawyers are the reason that rape convictions are at such low levels is just plain wrong and surprising, given the very different conclusions reached in the UK government’s own Rape Review" 2/6

.@LawSocPresident: “The fact that a lawyer represents an asylum seeker does not make them a ‘lefty lawyer’.

It simply makes them a lawyer.

Attacks on members of the legal profession for doing their jobs do our country no credit" Govt ministers must be unequivocal in their support for the #RuleOfLaw. Slinging insults at lawyers undermines the rule of law in an area where views are already hotly held on all sides and risks leading to verbal abuse and to lawyers being physically attacked for doing their job

We condemn a Home Office video referring to immigration lawyers who provide legal advice to migrants as ‘activist lawyers’.
Solicitors advise their clients on *their rights under the laws created by parliament*

lawsociety.org.uk/contact-or-vis… To describe lawyers who are upholding the law as ‘activist lawyers’ is misleading and dangerous. "Attacks on the integrity of the legal profession undermine the #RuleOfLaw," says @LawSocPresident Simon Davis